The present invention relates to a buckle for a belt and the like. More particularly, it relates to such a buckle which comprises two buckle members each having a first portion detachably connectable with a first portion of the other buckle member, and a second portion adapted to confine a respective end portion of the belt.
Buckles of this general type have been proposed in the art. In such a buckle a second portion for confining an end portion of the belt is integral and stationarily connected with the end portion of the belt. In order to connect the end portion of the belt with the buckle member the end portion is inserted into a hole provided in the second portion of the buckle member, and the above second portion is inwardly squeezed so as to clamp the end portion of the belt therein.
A disadvantage of such a buckle is that the end portion of the belt is not detachably connected with the buckle element but is mounted stationarily relative to the latter, in which case the belt once connected to the buckle cannot be readily disconnected therefrom. However, in practice users of belts in many cases want to replace one belt by another having a different color, texture and/or construction, while at the same time being able to use the same buckle. The known buckles of the type under discussion do not provide for a possibility to remove the belt from the buckle and to connect a new belt with the latter.
Another disadvantage of the known buckles is that connection of the belt to the buckle includes the above mentioned complicated squeezing operation which can be performed only with the use of special tools.